Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 CARLINVILLE, ILL. – The Panthers travelled to Carlinville, IL, to complete their season series with the Blackburn Beavers on Saturday afternoon. They ended up taking the first game in dramatic fashion, 10-9, and then dropped the final game, 10-4.
Game 1
Aleq McMullin received the start on the mound in the first game on Saturday. The Panthers were the home team in this game, as this game was originally scheduled to be played Friday night in Elsah, IL, before being rescheduled due to inclement weather. McMullin tossed 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out three. The Panthers made four errors in the game, but McMullin did a nice job working out of a few jams.
Parker Tibbetts relieved McMullin and threw the final 2.1 innings, allowing three hits and four earned runs, while striking out four.
Connor Coyne had another big day at the plate, as he was just a homerun shy of hitting for the cycle. He went 3-4 in the game.
Parker Davidson and
Zach Grennie each collected a pair of hits. Grennie also belted his sixth homer of the season, which places him tied for second in the SLIAC in homeruns.
Hunter Mehring went 1-2, with three walks, and
Aleq McMullin,
Bryce Murray,
Jeff Ross, and
Alex Stamos, all had base hits in the game.
This game featured several lead changes and was very exciting. The Panthers led the Beavers, 6-2, after three innings of play. However, the Beavers clawed their way back into the game, as they chipped away and finally tied the game at seven apiece in the sixth inning. The Beavers then scored two in the top half of the seventh inning to take a 9-7 lead. In the final half inning, the Panthers strung together an impressive rally.
After the Beavers retired the first Panther in the seventh inning, David Giorlando pinch-hit and hit a hard ground ball deep in the hole between shortstop and third base. He reached safely on an error by the shortstop.
Aleq McMullin then lined a single over the head of the third basemen, and Giorlando advanced to second. This brought up the top of the order for the Panthers. Coyne then smashed a double to left, which scored Giorlando and McMullin.
Jake Kearney then lined out to right, but Coyne advanced to third on the play. With two outs and Coyne presenting the winning run on third base, the Beavers opted to intentionally walk one of the SLIAC's hottest hitters,
Hunter Mehring. This brought up
Zach Grennie. Grennie calmly lined a single to left, which scored the game-winning run, and the Panthers celebrated another great comeback win.
Game 2
Hunter Mehring received the start on the hill in game two. He did not have his best stuff, but still competed well, giving the Panthers three innings.
Jake Kearney relieved Mehring and tossed three innings, allowing just one run, while striking out three.
Alex Stamos entered and pitched the final two innings of the game, allowing just one run, and striking out two.
Hunter Mehring blasted a solo homerun in the top of the first inning for the Panthers. This was Mehring's third homer of the year, and his third in the last four games. After Mehring's solo-shot, the Panthers struggled to tack on runs after that, as the Beavers left-handed pitcher, Jarrett Luckett, threw a steady dose of curveballs and kept the Panthers off balance. Luckett struck out ten, while pitching a complete game. The Panthers were led by
Connor Coyne and
Hunter Mehring, who each contributed with two hits. The Beavers scored seven runs in the third inning, and the Panthers were never able to catch up.
The Beavers ended up winning the third and final game of the series, 10-4. The Panthers took two out of the three games from the Beavers for the second straight year, and played good baseball this weekend. They next play on Friday, April 15, in Jacksonville, IL, against the MacMurray Highlanders, and then will head up to Mt. Pleasant, IA, to play a double-header against the Iowa Wesleyan Tigers on Saturday, April 16. The Panthers next home game is slated for Saturday, April 23, at 12:00 noon, versus Washington University.
